Aubergine and chickpea lasagne

Ingredients 

For the tomato and chickpea sauce:

1 tbsp oil

A couple of inches of chorizo sausage, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

A handful of mushrooms (but I only had 3!), chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped 

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp mixed herbs

Half glass red wine

2 carrots, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 chicken stock cube

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

Salt and pepper

1 tin chickpeas

1 tbsp pesto

For the aubergine:

1 aubergine, finely sliced lengthways 

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp oil

For the cheese sauce:

Approx 40g butter

Approx 3tbsp plain flour

Approx 500mls milk

Lots of grated cheese

Salt and pepper

A grating of nutmeg

Method 

Dry fry some chorizo and then add oil, onion, celery, mushrooms and garlic in a large pan with chilli powder and mixed herbs.

 If you have some leftover wine (see tip), add this now and let it boil for a couple of mins so the alcohol cooks off. Add the carrots and any other veg that you want to use. I used a yellow pepper. Add tins of tomatoes, chicken stock cube, tomato tins filled with boiling water, balsamic vinegar, sugar, tomato ketchup, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 45 mins.

 Add a tin of drained chickpeas 10 mins before the end. 

Stir in 1 tbsp pesto, if you have any. 

Slice an aubergine, lengthways, and pop the pieces in a freezer bag with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp dried oregano. (You'll prob have to do this in 2 goes) Give the bag a shake and make sure all the aubergine slices are coated. Now fry these in a hot pan on each side. I'll use a griddle pan. 

Prepare a cheese sauce - make a roux with flour and butter in a saucepan. Whisk in warmed milk, season with salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Add lots of grated cheese and stir it in until it's melted. 

(See cheesy tip re cheese rinds for extra scrummy sauce)

When all of the components are ready, assemble the lasagne in a large oven dish. 

Start with your tomato and chickpea sauce, sprinkle some grated cheese over it, add aubergine slices then cover with cheese sauce and repeat. Finish with a good top layer of cheese sauce and some grated cheese. 

Bake gas 7, 220c for around 25 mins until golden and bubbling hot. 

Serve with garlic pizza and a green salad. 

I'll make pizza in the same way as my other recipes but I'll just use garlic butter and cheese as toppings. 

Tip: if you ever have any leftover wine (well, you never know!!! ;-)), freeze it in an ice cube tray and just use as many cubes as you need, as and when you need them!